Originally developed and used in Europe, the NOACK volatility test determines how much weight an oil loses through volatilization. The more a motor oil vaporizes, the thicker and heavier it becomes, contributing to poor circulation, reduced fuel economy and increased oil consumption, wear and emissions. During the test, the subject oil is heated to 150° C for a specified period, causing the lighter oil molecules to boil off. The results are reported in the percentage, by weight, of the oil that evaporates.

Because they are made from impure, irregular molecules, conventional motor oils are more susceptible to the effects of heat. The small, light molecules in conventional oil tend to evaporate (volatilize) as the oil is heated, leaving large, heavy molecules behind and leading to oil consumption and an increase in the oil’s viscosity. If those large, heavy molecules are chemically unstable, they may also breakdown and form deposits on component surfaces, further inhibiting the release of heat into the oil stream.

Today’s engines are running hotter than ever. More horsepower, turbo chargers and aerodynamic styling have created extremely hot environments that receive less cooling from outside air. High heat leads to oil oxidation, deposits and thickening in conventional oils. To qualify for the current API rating of SM, motor oils for gasoline engines cannot experience a weight loss of more than 15 percent in the NOACK test. AMSOIL synthetic motor oils were exceeding modern requirements 20 years ago, while many oil manufacturers’ current products are still performing just well enough to make the grade.

Because AMSOIL synthetic lubricants contain only strong, uniform molecules, they are much more resistant to thermal and oxidative breakdown. AMSOIL synthetics are virtually impervious to breakdown at normal operating temperatures and can be used in higher temperatures than conventional oils without breaking down. AMSOIL synthetic motor oils keep components free of varnish, deposits and sludge.

At the CORR Off Road Racing World Championship race at Crandon International Raceway, Scott Douglas quickly moved into the lead on lap one. By lap five, Douglas noticed that his engine oil temperatures had climbed to more than 310 degrees due to an oil cooler flow issue. After winning the race, he quickly had the Speed Channel camera crew zoom in on the gauges to document the temps and credited AMSOIL Series 2000 Synthetic 20W-50 Racing Oil (TRO) for keeping the Pro Power Racing engine alive. "It was great to win, but we had big concerns about our primary engine because there were two more big races to run and our primary engine is about 40 HP more than the spare. After thoroughly inspecting the engine, it was perfect. I can't say enough about AMSOIL products. They not only saved the engine, they saved the weekend."

I started using AMSOIL products because I am an automotive enthusiast and I wanted to use the best products possible in my vehicles. I keep cars far longer than the average person and I do not enjoy repairing engines - I prefer to drive them! The first car I put AMSOIL in was my 1994 Mazda Miata. I have had this car since 1997 and have put over 100,000 very hard miles on it. I have commuted to work in it in city traffic for 9 years. I've driven it 3000 miles cross-country twice. I've thrashed it on the racetrack at Sebring, Road Atlanta, and Laguna Seca. I've autocrossed it many times. I've strapped a supercharger on it and just about the doubled the amount of horsepower it had from the factory. After all of this, the engine has needed zero work. All I've done is change the belts and hoses, and change the oil with Amsoil. I don't drive this car as much as I used to, since it's no longer my only car, so the Amsoil only gets a few thousand miles on it before I change it annually. I use AFL 5W-40 European Engine Oil in it since the hydraulic lifters in the Miata's 1.8L engine seem to like a little heavier oil. In the differential, I use SVG Severe Gear 75W-90 gear oil, and in the transmission I use MTG 75W-90. The Miata is a great lightweight sportscar that takes a lot of abuse and keeps on ticking. I use Amsoil in it so I can continue to beat on it and have confidence that it can take it.

Next month, I'll tell you about my 2000 Corvette.